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Show MIGHTY BATTLE !S BEING FOUGHT Germans Making Desperate Efforts to Capture the Forts of Verdun. London, Feb. 23. Troops belonging to seven Gorman army corps, under Crown Prince Frederick William, are engaged along a 25-mile front north of Verdun in a (Jesperate effort to drive back tho French defending forces, for-ces, probably with tho capture of the great fortress of Verdun in view. There has been very heavy fighting for a considerable period In this district dis-trict of the French war zone, but within the last few days the attacks of the Germans have taken on added strength. The battle line has been extended and now reaches from Ma-lancourt Ma-lancourt in tho west to Etain on the east, with Verdun in the center, only a few miles southward. The Germans claim to have mado important advances, and to some extent ex-tent these are admitted by the French war office, which describes the battle as one of Increasing Intensity. Tho German preparations were extensive ex-tensive and the bombardment of the French positions with thousands or Bhells was uninterrupted. As the French had foreseen this battle, all their available guns were called into action and responded in kind to the heavy shelling of the Gormans. While at some points tho French were unable to resist the onslaught of the attacking forces along much of the front, according to the Paris communication, the attacks wore well sustained and very heavy losses were inflicted on the Germans. Another British steamer, tho West-burn, West-burn, has put into port flying the German flag and with a German prize crew aboard. This vessel has reached Santa Cruz, Teneriffe. She has on board 206 prisoners taken from Various Vari-ous British vessels which hive been sunk by German raiders. On the Russian and Austrian fronts there has been considerable fighting, nurl tlio Ttnlinno oMmll thnt of rmP point the Austrians succeeded in penetrating their lines. No late advices have been received from tho Caucasus, where the Russians Rus-sians are continuing their pursuit of the retreating Turks. |